2010 Mazda6
Sized To Challenge Accord and Camry
The last generation Mazda6 was a fun car to drive, but it’s sales were lackluster, compared to the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord. One of the reasons for this was size—the 6 wasn’t as large as those segment leaders. Another problem was that the Mazda’s engines weren’t as powerful. Mazda rectified these shortcomings, and did a lot more.
The latest Mazda6 is right up there in all dimensions with the Camry and Accord. Mazda stretched the wheelbase by 4.5 inches; increased the width of the car by over two inches, and the overall length by nearly seven. Then they wrapped up all these pluses in a sleek new body. The design features prominent fender flares, like those on the sporty RX8, and an aerodynamic shape with a low 0.27 drag coefficient.
The cabin of the Mazda6 reflects the enhanced exterior dimensions. It’s now tops in volume in the midsize class. There’s ample head-and legroom, front and rear, for tall passengers, and a large trunk that measures 16.6-cu-ft. Mazda also upgraded the interior, using more refined materials, so that now it’s more like a Honda or Toyota. Instruments and controls are well located, and user-friendly.
To move the new 6 down the road, Mazda offers a choice of two new engines. The first is a 2.5-liter, inline-four that generates 170 hp. That exceeds the output of the Camry, and is close to that of the Accord. The other motor is a 3.7-liter, V-6 that pumps out 272 horses. That’s slightly more than those in either the Honda or Toyota. The four-cylinder is teamed with either a six-speed manual, or a five-speed automatic. The V-6 comes with a six-speed automatic only.
My test car had the four-cylinder and the automatic gearbox. This engine has more zip than the one it replaced, but it does its best work above 3000 rpm. It gets buzzy as the revs increase, yet it’s a willing performer. If you use the manual shift mode with the automatic, you’ll maximize performance. The gas mileage rating for this car was 21-30 mpg.
Although the latest Mazda6 is larger and heavier, it hasn’t lost that “Zoom-Zoom” quality that made its predecessor such a delight to drive. The car feels nimble. The steering is quick, and the turning radius is only 35.4 ft. The moderately firm suspension enables the 6 slice through corners quickly. In the Fun to Drive department, it easily beats the competition. The ride quality is also good— better than the previous model.
Mazda offers the 6 in five levels of trim, the base model, Sport, Touring, Touring Plus and Grand Touring, with pricing starting at $20,250. My test car had the Touring Plus package, which is new for 2010. It included a moonroof, ground illumination, electroluminescent gauges, Bluetooth connectivity and a blind spot warning system. The sticker price for this Mazda6 was $24,600.
Snapshot Review
Competitive Size
Strong Engines
Class-Leading Style
Fun To Drive
